Essential Site Maintenance: Authorea-powered sites will be updated circa 15:00-17:00 Eastern on Tuesday 5 November.
There should be no interruption to normal services, but please contact us at [email protected] in case you face any issues.

loading page

Flowering resources modulate sensitivity to a common fungicide in Bombus terrestris
  • +10
  • Dimitry Wintermantel,
  • Maria-Helena Pereira-Peixoto,
  • Nadja Warth,
  • Kristin Melcher,
  • Michael Faller,
  • Joachim Feurer,
  • Matthew Allan,
  • Robin Dean,
  • Giovanni Tamburini,
  • Anina Knauer,
  • Janine Schwarz,
  • Matthias Albrecht,
  • Alexandra Klein
Dimitry Wintermantel
University of Freiburg

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

Author Profile
Maria-Helena Pereira-Peixoto
University of Freiburg
Author Profile
Nadja Warth
University of Freiburg
Author Profile
Kristin Melcher
University of Freiburg
Author Profile
Michael Faller
University of Freiburg
Author Profile
Joachim Feurer
University of Freiburg
Author Profile
Matthew Allan
Atlantic Pollination Ltd
Author Profile
Robin Dean
The Red Beehive Co.
Author Profile
Giovanni Tamburini
University of Bari
Author Profile
Anina Knauer
Agroscope Location Reckenholz
Author Profile
Janine Schwarz
Agroscope Location Reckenholz
Author Profile
Matthias Albrecht
Agroscope
Author Profile
Alexandra Klein
University of Freiburg
Author Profile

Abstract

Bees are exposed to various stressors, including pesticides and lack of flowering resources. Despite potential interactions between these stressors, the impacts of pesticides on bees are generally assumed to be consistent across bee-attractive crops, and regulatory risk assessments of pesticides neglect interactions with flowering resources. We assessed the interactive impacts of the globally used azoxystrobin-based fungicide Amistar and three types of flowering resources (purple tansy, buckwheat, and a floral mix) on Bombus terrestris colonies in a full-factorial semi-field experiment with 39 large flight cages. Fungicide exposure through purple tansy monocultures reduced population (colony) growth, production of males, and adult worker body mass, while Amistar had no impact on colonies in buckwheat or floral mix cages. Furthermore, buckwheat monocultures hampered survival and fecundity irrespective of fungicide exposure. This shows that flowering resources modulate pesticide impacts and that B. terrestris requires access to complementary flowers to gain both fitness and fungicide tolerance.